A Tolerance Kitchen article.
The below content has been created with the input of a range of dietitians and sources. Following a low histamine diet should always be done alongside a qualified dietitian. Your own unique intolerances may make you more susceptible to certain foods than others, and long term adherence can lead to deficiencies in other important nutrients. You can find a list of trusted histamine dietitians here, all of whom offer 1:1 online sessions to help you get started and work with you to create a personalised diet.
The Great British Curry Night: A Histamine Minefield?
There are few culinary traditions more ingrained in British life than a trip to the local curry house. It is the go-to celebration meal, the Friday night takeaway, the comforting ritual. With histamine intolerance, that invitation to join friends for a curry can feel like something that you can't say yes to.
The good news is that with a bit of knowledge, a trip for an Indian meal does not have to be a thing of the past. It is all about understanding where the histamine is hiding and making smarter choices to manage your personal Histamine Bucket. This guide is designed to give you a framework for your next order, so you can focus more on the conversation and less on the contents of your plate.
Why Curry Can Be So Challenging
A traditional curry can unfortunately be a perfect storm for histamine intolerance. Many dishes combine multiple factors that can quickly fill up your bucket, sometimes all on one plate. Understanding these is the first step to avoiding them.
- Long-Simmered Sauces: The rich, complex flavour of many curry sauces comes from long, slow cooking. Often, these are based on tomatoes, which are not only high in histamine but are also considered a 'histamine liberator', meaning they can encourage your body to release its own internal histamine. The longer any food is cooked or stored, the more histamine can develop
- Fermented Ingredients: Fermentation is a key source of histamine in food. In Indian cooking, this often appears as yoghurt, which is used as a tenderising marinade for tandoori meats and as a base for creamy sauces and raita. Pickles, like the ubiquitous lime pickle, are another major source
- Problematic Vegetables: Some of the most common vegetables in curry dishes are ones that can be an issue for those with histamine intolerance. Spinach (in saag dishes) and aubergine (in brinjal bhajis) are two of the main culprits
- The Usual Accompaniments: The classic pint of lager that goes so well with a curry can also be a problem. Alcohol is a recognised inhibitor of the diamine oxidase (DAO) enzyme, your body's primary tool for breaking down histamine from food. You can learn more in our guide to DAO
A Guide to the Curry House Menu
Navigating the menu is about choosing simple, freshly cooked items over complex, pre-prepared ones. This is a guide to what may be better or worse options, but your own tolerance is unique. We always recommend starting cautiously when reintroducing foods.
Starters and Sides
- Lower Histamine Choices: Poppadoms are often a good starting point, as they are typically just lentil flour and oil, fried fresh to order. The accompanying fresh salad of diced onion and cucumber is usually a safe bet, too
- Approach with Caution: Onion bhajis, samosas, and pakoras can be tricky. They often contain gram (chickpea) flour and a mixture of spices, and it is hard to know how fresh the batter is
- Higher Histamine Choices: Avoid the pickle tray. Mango chutney is high in sugar and vinegar, while lime pickle is fermented. Raita is yoghurt-based and best avoided
Main Courses
- Lower Histamine Choices: Your best friend here is the tandoor. Tandoori or shashlik dishes, which consist of meat, fish, or vegetables cooked quickly at a very high heat, are 'dry' dishes. This means you avoid the long-simmered, tomato-based sauces. Ask if the marinade is yoghurt-free; even if it is not, the quantity will be far less than in a creamy curry
- Approach with Caution: Some vegetable side dishes, when ordered as a main, can be good options. An okra (bhindi) bhaji or cauliflower (gobi) bhaji is often cooked fresh with simple spices. Always ask if the base sauce contains tomatoes
- Higher Histamine Choices: Dishes like Tikka Masala, Korma, and Pasanda are creamy, often with yoghurt, almonds, and pre-made base gravies. Saag dishes (with spinach), Dhansak (with lentils), and any curry with a rich, dark, tomato-heavy sauce like a Rogan Josh or Madras are likely to be very high in histamine
Rice and Breads
- Lower Histamine Choices: Plain, steamed, or boiled basmati rice is the safest option. For bread, a roti or chapati is a better choice than naan, as they are typically unleavened and made without yoghurt or milk
- Higher Histamine Choices: Pilau rice often contains various spices and colourings. Naan bread is a leavened bread that almost always contains both yeast and yoghurt in the dough, a double-whammy for histamine
The Social Script: How to Order Without a Lecture
One of the most stressful parts of eating out is feeling like you have to explain your entire medical history to the waiting staff. You do not. Keeping it simple is the key to a stress-free order.
Instead of explaining histamine intolerance, it is often easier to state your needs as simple preferences or allergies that kitchens understand well.
- "Could I have the tandoori chicken? I need to avoid tomato and yoghurt, is that possible?"
- "Is the vegetable bhaji made with a tomato-based sauce?"
- "I'll just have the plain steamed rice, please."
A confident, simple request is much easier for a busy restaurant to handle than a long, complex explanation. For more tips on this, you might find our guide to explaining histamine intolerance helpful.
A Helping Hand for Your Histamine Bucket
Even with the most careful ordering, a meal out can still be a challenge. For people with a known or suspected DAO deficiency, supplementing the body's own supply of the DAO enzyme can be a useful part of their toolkit.
It is possible to make up for a lack of natural DAO by taking DAO supplements. Our supplement, Aperitif, is designed to be taken 15 to 20 minutes before you eat. The enzyme in the capsule then helps with the digestion of histamine from the food you are about to eat, right there in your gut. It is important to follow the usage instructions on the packaging, and remember that a supplement is there to support your choices, not replace them.
Ultimately, learning to navigate a restaurant menu is another step towards feeling in control of your histamine intolerance. It might take a little trial and error, but it is possible to say yes to more of the foods and social occasions you love.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for advice specific to your situation.